Thursday 11th:
Since Tuesday it has been cold with poor visibility due low cloud and persistent heavy rain, consequently no photos to post today. However, there has been time to sit and talk to other boaties and here is what I have heard.
How many boaties does it take to change a lightbulb?
None, because the right size bulb is not on board, the local chandlery doesn't carry that brand and the mail order service where you purchased the light has them on back order.
Some definitions:
Anchor light - a small light used to discharge the battery before daylight.
Current - a tidal flow that carries a boat away from its desired destination, or towards a hazard.
Schooner - a yacht with a fully stocked beer frig.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Monday, September 8, 2008
Rain at the Low Isles
Monday 8th September:
Woke at 7 am to a temperature of 26, humidity at 80% and a forecast of rain with strong SW winds for Tuesday and the following few days so the skipper made the decision to head back to Cairns today rather than beat into the wind later in the week. 8 octas of dark heavy cloud, indigo seas and 0.0 knots of wind all the way back to Cairns. As we headed down the leads into the marina the sky really opened up and the rain continued pouring down until we were tied up. It was fine for the rest of the day.
Saturday, September 6, 2008
Low Isles
Perfect weather arrived for sailing further north so after a quick dash to the markets for their fabulous fresh fruit and veg we set sail and arrived at the Low Isles about 2.30 pm. The island with the lighthouse is a sandy cay thought to have begun to form about 5000 years ago and now, although tiny, it supports about 50 species of plants and the birds include mangrove kingfishers, honeyeaters and a large colony of pied imperial pigeons. At waters edge are sooty oystercatchers and out on the reef as it dries are the reef egrets. We have neap tides at present so only one high and one low per 24 hours of about 1 metre and great for snorkelling which is excellent here. The coral reef is right at the beach and extends as far as we have the energy to swim. The colours are magnificent in both the coral and the fish of which there are many shapes, sizes and colours. Angel fish swim around the boat constantly and we have also seen reef sharks, trevally and some of those curiously shaped longtoms. Green turtles are quite numerous too and because the water is so clear we can follow them for quite some time as they forage on the sea grass. Fascinating. Still watching out for a dugong.
Sunday, 7th September:
These isles are convenient for boats from Port Douglas and yesterday and today it has been as busy as Pittwater and Refuge Bay on a beautiful weekend. It is now late on Sunday afternoon and all of the day trippers and most of the boats have now gone. Time to open the red wine and have a drink - for health purposes of course. Cheers.
Monday, September 1, 2008
A very blue day
Monday 1 September: The SE trades are still too strong for Breakaway to venture out to the reef so we went in a very fast catamaran to a pontoon anchored at Moore Reef. Everywhere you looked was blue; the sky, the sea, a lot of the coral and many of the fish. WOW. A number of the giant clams were also into the blue theme. Very hard to get out of the water with such wonders all around. We were also privileged to see a mother humpback and her calf frolicking about and having a very splashy time. The whales are definitely heading south now with no need to worry about the wind.
Saturday, August 30, 2008
30 August 2008
Dinner for four at 2 Fish, Port Douglas where you can have whatever you like so long as it is fish. The crews from Tezelia and Breakaway enjoyed the warm, balmy evening and the coral trout.
Port. Douglas I mean.
Saturday, 30th August:
A day away from the marina in Cairns where the wind continues to howl. We visit Marina Mirage and catch up with Terry and Lilia from Tezelia.
I believe Sydney is 2000 kilometres that way.
Breakout
Wednesday 27th: Breakout from Mourilyan and sailing again. Heading for Welcome Bay at Fitzroy Island.
We have just witnessed a wonderful display of a mother whale teaching her calf whale play - breaching, fin slapping and tail waving - as they were drifting south.
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Crocs, midges and Greek heroes
Friday 15th: Running off the main channel is Gayundah Creek recommended by Alan Lucas as an excellent anchorage so we headed up said creek. Hemmed in by mangroves with a 7ft croc sunning itself on a mud bank did nothing for my equanimity and then the midges arrived. They ignored Carr completely and feasted on me while I was getting the anchor down. So up anchor quick smart as crocs and midges do not make comfortable sleeping companions and back to the main channel to anchor in the midstream breeze. Infinitely better as it was away from all categories of biting creature.
Saturday 16th: It was still dark as the anchor came up at 0600 and we headed for Port Hinchinbrook Marina. As the sun came up, the only ripples on the glassy water were in our wake and the sky gradually busied with shearwaters and darters looking for breakfast. At the shoreline, a few egrets and white faced herons were intent on the same task. Further along we spotted a sea eagle. As planned, we arrived at the pylons marking the entrance channel for the marina almost on high tide but just as we went to turn in, a supply barge came out and commenced a water ballet routine around the pylons. We could not work out what was happening so radioed to the skipper who explained that he was inspecting the pylons and moorings but was happy to move aside so we could enter. Thank you Perseverance II. Love the names of these supply barges, Hercules and Samson in the Whitsundays and we've seen Ajax and Hector (plus Perseverance) around here. Perhaps Jason and Achilles are further north. Amazon and Penthesileia would round out this genre of names nicely.
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Green, green, green.
Once through, travelling along the channel all was serene, and most impressive. Flat dark water, craggy cliffs and volcanic mountains shrouded in cloud with various shades of green in bands of colour along the banks and up the cliffs; dark green opaque water, lime green fringing mangroves, dark green tropical rainforest and, as your eyes go higher, the typical green of an Australian eucalyptus woodland. Looking over to mainland Australia, the clouds caused an ever changing pattern of light and dark green over the mountainous terrain. Occasionally there was a tall tree such as a young child would draw having a thick pale trunk with a dark green round ball of leaves on top, perhaps the now rare pink bloodwood.
I know crocodiles inhabit the channel as I saw one with just the tip of its snout and two eyes above the water and its dark shape underneath. The extensive mudflats and mangroves are an ideal habitat for them so definitely no exploring in the inflatable dinghy. The presence of crocodiles would be why all the fishing boats are tinnies.
Hinchinbrook Island
Thursday, 14th: Departed Little Pioneer Bay at 0612 hrs, long before our little feathered friends were in the mood to serenade us. The exceptionally heavy mooring line proved a problem for the skin of my left hand but we made it to the Hinchinbrook Channel on the rising tide essential to the safe negotiation of its tricky entrance. First obstacle to avoid is the Lucinda sugar loading wharf extending 5.6 km out into the water at the southern entrance to the channel which is somewhat scary as it is very shallow and at times I saw the depth gauge showing only .8 under our keel.
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Orpheus visitor
Wed 13th: The birdlife on Orpheus is many and varied including an osprey patrolling over water and a brahminy kite over land. This dear little spectacled monarch, a species of flycatcher, and his partner have been constant visitors to Breakaway over the last two days and woke us this morning with their song.
Beautiful Orpheus
The strong winds forecast for Monday arrived on Tuesday and into Wednesday but it is so peaceful and beautiful here in the bay that we have stayed a couple of days watching other boats come in for shelter from a beastly east’ly. At present it is quite an international group; a Dutch couple who have been sailing around the world for 7 years and are still a long way from home, a French ketch, two large catamarans, a Beneteau cruiser Belle Époque and Josh, a lone young man in a tiny craft heading for Weipa and the NT, which I believe stands for not today, not tomorrow, not Tuesday and not Thursday. We have spent today on maintenance and cleaning and all is in readiness for the Hinchinbrook Channel tomorrow.
Orpheus Island
Monday 11th: 0700 departure from Horseshoe Bay heading for the Palm Isles. The forecast was for 20/25 knot winds from the SSE. SSE was right but the strength was way off so we motor sailed. We gave Halifax Bay a wide berth as the air force use live missiles and bombs when it is active. Some of the smallest Palm Isles looked very attractive with a white beach protected by a coral reef but sadly no suitable anchorages for us. Casement Bay at Great Palm Island also looked inviting but we had heard that visitors were not welcomed and crime a constant problem due to the repercussions of the Aboriginal Protection Act of 1897 by means of which many groups and families were forcibly relocated from their traditional lands onto government reserves and missions, one being Great Palm Island. This indiscriminate and unsystematic mixing of separate and distinct tribes and families continued on the island until the mid 1960’s and the result is causing great difficulties for the present day inhabitants.
As we cruise north of Townsville, it is noticeable that the vegetation of the islands has changed markedly from those we saw south of Cleveland Bay. Rather than the previous rugged and very rocky topography, the islands from Magnetic and northwards are much greener and, especially in the gullies, lush with tropical rainforest and palms. Orpheus Island is one such paradise with some lovely deserted beaches fringed with palms. The only inhabitants of the island are at the resort and a small James Cook University research establishment. Little Pioneer Bay is very pretty with a fringing reef and four public mooring buoys, of which we have one. It is also home to two very large black rays, possibly manta rays, silently and endlessly patrolling their patch of reef. Shoals of tiny fish surround us all the time too and seem to be keeping us between themselves and the rays.
Monday, August 11, 2008
Blogging
Sunday, 10th: Out of the marina at 0624 to catch the high tide and back to Horseshoe Bay. Arrived 0827 and Carr then spent the day with his charts planning the route for the next day’s sail to Orpheus Island. My book supply is rapidly being consumed - I probably should polish the chrome or something but it is too hot to be working outside in the sun. Southern friends: read this and weep, or should I say shiver.
So I spent some time learning how to blog and how to insert the photographs we have taken. I then had to learn how to do them together. Hope this works.
Wigs and gowns
Friday 8th: This afternoon, while sipping my cappuccino in a delightful outdoor café, a number of barristers headed up the street to the law courts. Shades of a former existence. I much preferred my outfit of shorts and tee-shirt to their hot wigs and gowns. Then I remembered that the coroner’s report into the disappearance of the three men aboard the catamaran Kaz II in April last year was due to be handed down and they were off to hear his findings. The coroner found the deaths were caused by a freak accident when one of the crew had attempted to free a fishing line from the yacht's propeller and fell in the ocean. Another crew member fell in trying to rescue him and the skipper was then knocked over by the sail (boom) trying to get to the other two men. Once in the water, it had been impossible for the three men to get back to the yacht due to the conditions. I now have a new rule on Breakaway – no fishing while underway. Besides, what if we caught a fish? I would then have to work out how to clean and fillet it.
Townsville
Wednesday, 6th. Headed for Townsville but had to wait for the high tide to negotiate the channel into the marina. Left Horseshoe Bay at 1035 and on the way we investigated the many pretty bays of Maggie that we had seen from the land. Arrived at the marina channel right on high tide but even then it came down to .9 of a metre under our keel. It is usually full with local boats but we were lucky to secure a casual berth among the large live aboard population. Once again, there were building sites all around us as developers make the most of water views, same as in Mackay and Abel Point.
From the water, Townsville is the prettiest town we have seen so far with a beautifully landscaped 2.5 kilometre beachfront park and promenade with many leisure amenities. Behind the parks and on into town are some magnificent government and commercial buildings dating back to the mid 1800’s, most sensitively restored. The Customs Building in particular attracted our attention. Guess who left "her" camera behind on the boat?
From the water, Townsville is the prettiest town we have seen so far with a beautifully landscaped 2.5 kilometre beachfront park and promenade with many leisure amenities. Behind the parks and on into town are some magnificent government and commercial buildings dating back to the mid 1800’s, most sensitively restored. The Customs Building in particular attracted our attention. Guess who left "her" camera behind on the boat?
Three pretty young girls from Germany
Drei hubsche junge Madchen aus Deutschland, much more photogenic than Carr and Ann.
Horseshoe Bay in the background.
Horseshoe Bay in the background.
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